Bob Stoops always thought Pac-12 'would come back up'

By John Rohde •
Modified: September 5, 2011 at 11:09 am •
Published: September 5, 2011

There might soon come a time, perhaps this week, when Oklahoma president David Boren and athletic director Joe Castiglione approach their football coach about possibly leaving the Big 12 to join the Pacific 12 Conference.

Head coach Bob Stoops speaks with the media following OU's first day of practice on Thursday, August 4, 2011, in Norman, Okla. Photo by Steve Sisney

What is Bob Stoops' preference?

"Well, I'm not going to speculate on that," Stoops said during Monday morning's weekly Big 12 coaches teleconference. "I'm for whatever our president and AD feel is best for the University of Oklahoma. As long as we get to play, I'll go play wherever they tell me I need to go play. For me to say what I prefer wouldn't be at all right to do."

The Big 12's future is in flux following Texas A&M's decision to leave the league on June 30, 2012. Nebraska and Colorado left the Big 12 before this school year.

OU opting to leave for the Pac-12 is expected to cause a four-team exodus that would include Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech also joining the conference.

Asked what he thought of 16-team super-conferences, Stoops said: "It seems that's the direction the world's going. If it is, so be it. My job is we're getting ready to practice today and start working on Florida State (Sept. 17). That's what I'm spending my time on this morning."

"I thought it was behind us for a year," Stoops said. "I thought we would at least get through the season. I guess I always felt at some point it would come back up. I'd have to say not this quick, though."

Texas, which debuted the Longhorn Television Network last week, has long been considered the kingpin when it comes to potential Big 12 realignment, a position OU now appears to hold after Texas A&M's decision to leave.

"We went through all this last year and we talked about it daily," Longhorns football coach Mack Brown said. "We (supposedly) were in the Pac-10 at that time. It (the Big 12) was gone. We were done. Then the next day, we were here so it was all over the place. It seems like there's about five different scenarios everybody thinks are guaranteed to be the case. I've got my hands full with Brigham Young on Saturday and I know we're in the Big 12 until the end of the year. Other than that …